UMETT is a week-long, overnight summer program for minority students, age 15+, going into their junior or senior year of high school. Students stay on the UNI campus and participate in hands on activities with area youth. The UMETT Program seeks to build or maintain students' interest in teaching, in attending UNI as an education major (or other major), or in pursuing a teaching career with a partner school district.

Why UMETT?

• There is a state and national shortage of racial and ethnic minorities in education professions and the proportion of high school students interested in pursuing an education major or career path continues to decline rapidly (NCES, 2015).

• Nationwide, students of color have become the majority in public schools, yet more than 80% of teachers are white (Rich, 2015).Black, white, and Asian students benefit from being assigned to a teacher that looks like them.

• Test scores go up in years when their teacher shares their ethnicity (Egalite, Kisida, & Winters, 2015).

Program At a Glance

Students are encouraged to explore teaching as a mission. A teacher functions as a vital change agent, not only for educational justice but to also improve schools and local communities. The UMETT program also helps students gain the experiences necessary to succeed their first year in college through fostering a sense of belonging, resilience, and self-efficacy, and connecting them with helpful resources. Day-to-day, students: 

• After breakfast, student participants spend the morning at interactive sessions dedicated to teaching as a mission, including field experience at local schools towards the end of the week.

• Afternoons are spent learning about college, the UNI campus, and feature speakers talking about their various pathways to college.

• After dinner, students participate in team- building activities and have free time in the residence halls.

Email: Dr. Amy Lockhart, amy.lockhart@uni.edu   (NEW)

Mail: UNI Department of Teaching, Attn: UMETT, 153 Schindler Education Center, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613-0610

Phone: (319) 273-2209